Harold Kenneth “Sonny” Maddox, Jr., passed away peacefully, Tuesday, May 16, at his home in Golden, CO, with his wife Judy by his side.
Sonny was born in Sheffield, AL, on March 13, 1944. He attended Sheffield Schools, and York Terrace Baptist Church, where he was baptized.
His junior year in high school his family was transferred to Knoxville, TN and he graduated high school from Knoxville Central High in 1963.
After graduation he returned to Alabama and attended Florence State University, until joining the Air Force, 1964 to 1968 and was stationed at Da Nang Air Base, Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. After his Honorable Discharge, he earned a BS in Marketing from the University of Alabama, graduating in 1972. Upon graduation he began his business career with Safeco Insurance Company training employees and sales agents and eventually transferred from the home office in Atlanta, GA to Denver, CO in 1999 and worked at Safeco Insurance until his retirement in 2016.
Sonny was an avid big game hunter and hunted across the US and Alaska. He loved to cook wild game for his family and his hunting buddies. Sonny also loved to play golf and carried a 3 handicap. He played competitive softball as a pitcher until he retired at 73, and he was a football referee at the high school level.
Sonny had a zest for life that was his hallmark. He never lost his southern accent or passion for all things Alabama! He could talk to anyone and had lots of amazing stories and hilarious jokes. He lived for his grandchildren and would do anything for them.
Sonny was preceded in death by his father, Harold Kenneth Maddox, Sr. and his mother, Ida Naomi Willingham Maddox.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Annette Maddox, her sons, Ray Torrez III (Candice) and Anthony Torrez (Stephanie), and his grandchildren, Zechariah, Destiny, AJ, Ray, Derek and great-granddaughter, Aiyana.
He is survived by his sisters, Sandra Maddox Vetters (Frank), Reve Maddox Richardson (Edward) and Vicki Maddox Burns (Tony), and nieces and nephews, Kurt Vetters, Matthew Vetters, Reverend Kristin Richardson Frick, Kimberly Richardson Dunbar, Reed Powell, Zach Powell, Caitlin Burns, and Anslee Burns Rainwater.
The family appreciated the visits from special friends from Alabama during his illness, Patsy Novelli and Sherman Stewart.
The Interment will be at Logan Military Cemetery, Denver Colorado, with full military honors with Eulogy by Reverend Kristen Richardson Frick and Anslee Burns Rainwater. (Date to be announced by Fort Logan officials)
Memorial donations may be made in Mr. Maddox’s honor to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org.
